Shortly after 4 p.m. today, 911 dispatchers received a call regarding several hundred gallons of an unknown chemical that had spilled into a storm drain at Peterkort Towne Square, located at the corner of Barnes Road and Cedar Hills Boulevard. TVF&R firefighters from several nearby stations responded to the call along with our Hazardous Materials Team, based out of Progress and Tualatin and part of the State of Oregon Regional HazMat Team.

Upon arrival of the first incoming crews, they found nearly 200 gallons of a 500 gallon barrel of Ultramine, a chemical that decreases the rate of corrosion on aluminum, had spilled into a storm drain behind several local businesses in the town center. As a precaution, the HazMat team instructed firefighters to create an evacuation zone of 175 feet around the spill until they could confirm chemical components and ensure safety of the surrounding area. Occupants of adjacent businesses were asked to shelter in place, which restricted them from exiting out the back doors of their businesses where the spill had occurred. Customers and workers could still access the businesses through their front doors.

Once the HazMat team arrived, they were able to determine that the chemical was not creating an immediate danger for the surrounding area. They continued to keep the area closed off to ensure no one would come in physical contact with the chemical. With the assistance of City of Beaverton’s Public Works crews, they confirmed that the storm system is confined to the Peterkort Towne Square property and that the chemical did not leave the property. A private contractor will flush the entire storm system on the property as a precautionary measure to ensure the system is clear of the chemical.

The 500-gallon barrel was being delivered to a local business that provides shipping and mailbox services. Upon delivery, the barrel was transferred to a lift gate on the back of the delivery truck where the barrel tipped over and fell from several feet up. This resulted in the leaking of the chemical onto the pavement, which made its way to a near by storm drain with a catch basin that contained most of the chemical.

There were no injuries as a result of this chemical spill and the contractor will continue clean up efforts into the evening hours. In the meantime, all businesses in the town center remain open based on their operational hours.